Retrograde
by bunkernine
Summary: A fic in which Leo's kid suddenly appears and things get a little bit more interesting. Starts from the beginning of TLH.
1. Dylan Totally Sucks

Inspired by some things happen (but not like this) by janigkale on ao3 (sorry ffnet is really bad with links)

... as for the "inspired fic"... inspired is put very loosly, because i was actually writing this before that fic came out BUT as far as i can recall, this is literally the only other valgrace fic that has to do with their kids? idk, send me the others if i'm wrong, but i think it's important to boost other writers here ESPECIALLY for something as deprived as valgrace. plus the fic seems super cute so far ahhhh!

… anyway i'm not really sure why i wrote this either lol. i used to hate OC's with a **passion** lol, but idk what's happening. i think the older i get, i feel like i have less time to write something super silly and self-indulgent like this.

this is a weird fic for me, also because i've never written pov's like this before, so i hope it goes well when i go back to read it again. i also don't use past tense too much, especially as of late, but i really wanted to emulate the lost hero and rick's writing lol. once again, hope it works... (also... this is ONCE again, one of those fics that will totally get me sued ajsbubliufbuss)

Disclaimer: i don't own pjo and/or any of it's characters. all rights belong to rick riordan.

* * *

 **Dylan Totally Sucks**

Outside the window was nothing but endless dirt.

Leo didn't know what he had been expecting. The pathway the bus took to the Grand Canyon had turned rocky and bare over an hour ago, alerting the group ahead of time that _yeah,_ _this trip is going to be boring_. However, the injustice of it all was ignored in favor of the few sweet hours of freedom from Wilderness.

The Grand Canyon was not the popular choice for the trip. Half of Leo's class had wanted to go to see the newest superhero movie. The other half had wanted to go to the trampoline park. Heck, even the teachers volunteered to chaperone, if only to go bowling. The Head of Wilderness quickly gave a swift _no_ to all three and assigned Coach Hedge- the one with the most reluctance to go anywhere (buzzkill)- to take the sophomore class on an " _Education Expedition_ " that related to their studies. Of course, they learned about rocks and the Earth's layers the year before, so the trip was nothing more than a waste of time.

It looked like it was going to rain too. Great. Stuck out in the desert that no one wanted to be at, and getting caught in a storm.

Leo turned from the window, only to be surprised by a girl sitting next to him. He jumped, and the girl smiled at him. Behind him, he heard Jason take a sharp intake as he woke up, and Piper ask if he was okay.

"Who are you?" Leo asked the girl, puzzled. He clearly remembered fighting for his lone seat on the bus, so the intrusion was not loved. Nevermind the fact that Leo _knew_ his classmates, and this chick was definitely not one of them.

She looked crazy, being all wide-smiles and dirty faced. "Hi, Daddy!"

Leo's soul practically slipped out of his body and fell into another dimension. " _What?_ "

She wrapped her arm around his like they were best buddies. "I said _hi!_ "

Behind them, Jason said, "This is a mistake. I'm not supposed to be here." Leo sat up and turned around at that.

"Yeah, and neither is this crazy lady," He thumbed to her. The girl poked her head over the seat as well and smiled at Jason and Piper. Almost immediately, Piper frowned and Jason looked like he was going to faint.

Dang. Even bowling would be better than this.

* * *

A cold wind blew through the desert. Jason and Piper both shivered and Leo grinned.

"So, a crash course for the amnesiac," Leo said. "We go to 'Wilderness-"

"No offense, Leo," Piper interrupted, "but are you going to introduce your friend?"

Leo sighed, having hoped that neither of the two would mention his current attachment. The girl stuck to his back peeked over his shoulder, only to duck behind him again. A vein popped out of Leo's neck. "I can't."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't know the crazy lady!" Leo stepped to the side, only for the girl to step with him. "She keeps following me for some reason." He began to circle around Jason and Piper, and the girl furiously followed after him.

"Is he normally like this?" Jason nudged Piper, watching Leo speed up.

"I would like to say no, but…" Piper winced. "That would be lying."

"Stop it!" Leo slammed to a stop and whirled around to yell at his stalker. "Go away!"

"No!" She yelled with just as much force. "I can't!"

"Agh!" Leo threw his hands in the air and speed walked around the Grand Canyon. He stomped around the grounds, slipping between groups and occasionally turning around to yell back at the girl, who followed insistently.

Piper sighed. "He'll come back soon. Is any of your memory coming back?"

"If anything, I'm more confused than before."

Piper patted Jason's arm, consolingly. Of course, she didn't like Jason's sudden spout of amnesia- how could he forget her?- but she was starting to see this as an opportunity. This could be a new start for them.

"I suppose I can tell you the basics," Piper started, continuing to walk with the rest of the Wilderness kids. "We go to this boarding school named-"

"-Hell." Leo cut in. He leaned his elbow on Jason's shoulder, trying to catch his breath. He glanced behind him, saw the girl furiously approaching and groaned. Leo looked up at the sky. "I don't know what I did but take this girl away from me!"

"Leo," Jason said. "You're weird."

"You say that a lot," Leo said. The girl finally caught up, and latched herself to Leo's arm. Leo thew exasperated looks towards Piper and Jason. "That's it. Today's the day I'm gonna jump. Goodbye, it was nice knowing you."

"Leo," Piper slapped his elbow off of Jason, looking up at the blond to see his reaction. When finding nothing, she rolled her eyes at Leo. "Don't say stuff like that. Remember last time?"

Jason listened carefully. He didn't understand much of what was going on. He doubted at this point, he ever would. Jason glanced at the strange girl. She scowled. Okay, now Jason _definitely_ didn't understand anything.

The group walked into the museum exhibit with their class. Most of the exhibits were about the Grand Canyon and the people that owned the museum, the Hualapai tribe. Piper whispered to Jason about the school they went to (Wilderness) and pointed out some of his supposed classmates. On the other side of him, Leo mumbled about how _boring_ everything was and expressed _just_ how much of his homework Jason did. (Jason did not believe him for a second.)

The girl that none of them knew followed behind them silently. She fiddled with a phone, quietly cursing under her breath. Whenever she and Jason locked eyes, the girl would glare.

"Hey, Piper, does your tribe run this place? Do you get in free if you do a rain dance?" A girl in a bright pink halter jacket sneered at them. The other girls with her laughed.

"My dad's Cherokee, not Hualapai," Piper said. "'Course you'd need a few brain cells to know the difference, Isabel."

Isabel's eyed widened in mock surprise. "Oh sorry! Was your _mom_ in this tribe? Oh wait- _you didn't know her_."

Leo muttered a quick, _bitch_ , and Piper clenched her fists. The adult of the group, Coach Hedge, who Piper had pointed out to Jason, eyed them all suspiciously. His eyes lingered on Jason before turning away, proudly pointing out rocks to other students.

The girls continued throwing looks at them, before snickering like hyenas. Even Jason grew annoyed, but Piper looked calm. Leo caught his incredulity. "Don't worry, man. If they knew who Piper's dad was, then they'll totally be on their knees begging for mercy."

"Who's her dad?"

"You don't remember?" Leo frowned at him. "How could you-"

"Leo!" The girl who was following them decided to make her presence known again. "Let's be partners."

"Uh, no thanks." Leo quickly looped his arm over Jason's shoulder. It's awkward for both of them because of the height difference. "I'm with my bro on this one, stalker."

"I'm not a stalker," she mumbled. "You're my dad!"

"Right, and I'm the kid of a famous actor." Leo rolled his eyes, nudging Jason as if saying _can you believe this psycho?_ Piper pressed her lips together in a firm line. The girl's eyes widened and she quickly pressed her finger to her lips.

"C'mon, guys." Leo grabbed Piper's arm and steered his best friends away and down the walkway, "We've got some rocks to study."

* * *

She couldn't take a hint, but at least she wasn't obnoxious about it.

The three of them had sat down on the walkway overlooking the Grand Canyon, and the girl settled down only a yard or two away. Leo glared at her while pulling out pipe cleaners and fiddling with them in his lap. The girl only sighed and stared down at her own lap, fiddling with something there as well.

Yeah, Jason would've believed they were related if it wasn't for Leo's instant denial. Maybe cousins or something. They look alike, with the same crazy hair and brown eyes.

"Is there anything you remember?" Piper asked.

Jason wished he remembered someone as pretty as Piper being his girlfriend. His face grew hot. "Uh, not really. My name's Jason, and I think I'm sixteen?"

"Fifteen," Piper said. "Your birthday is in July, do you remember that?"

"Not until you told me. July… 1st?"

"Yeah. I wonder if you can recall all your memories if someone reminds you of them." Piper tugged on her hair, in thought. Behind her, Hedge stared at Jason with narrowed eyes. Above, thunder clapped and a cold chill flew over the class.

"I hope so," Jason said, looking back at Piper. The hairs on the back of his neck stood, and everything in his body was screaming _Danger! Danger!_

"Me too," Piper looked around, feeling disturbed as well. She raised an eyebrow. "Do you feel that-"

Then some kid behind her exploded into dust, swirling into a tornado. The entire bridge shuddered and tossed papers around. Piper screamed.

* * *

 _Okay,_ Piper thought as she jumped to her feet. Dylan had always been gross, but he had never turned into the wind before. He swirled in the air, and pointed at kids, laughing as funnel clouds blew their clothes up or as their papers flew around them.

Either Piper was going crazy, or her classmates paid no attention to the tornado-Dylan. They, instead, screamed as lightning struck and ran towards the glass doors of the museum. Coach Hedge stood at the doors, ushering people in with a fierce snarl on his face as he glared at Dylan.

"I should've known you were our monster!" He yelled at Dylan. His baseball cap flew off, exposing tiny nubs nestled in curly hair. When nearly everyone is safely in the museum, save for Jason, Piper, Leo and the girl who refused to move from Leo's side, he slammed the glass door and grabbed his bat. Except it wasn't his bat anymore- the stick had transformed into a tree branch club outfitted with pointy twigs and poisonous leaves.

Dylan sneered at him, his upper body materializing above the tornado. His Cowboy's jersey flapped in the wind. "You're losing your nose, grandpa. I've been on your team the entire season. You're getting too old for this game- but I guess that's why they _retired_ you to this stupid school."

Besides her, Jason surveyed the sky in a tense stance. He looked like he was ready for an upcoming battle. Leo looked just as shocked as Piper, as he stared at Coach Hedge with wide eyes. The girl next to him gritted her teeth and took on a pose similar to Jason's.

Piper looked around. They were standing on an unsteady bridge that swayed with every twist of Dylan's hand. They needed to get to the museum somehow. But how could they bypass Cyclone Dylan and Goat Hedge?

Unfortunately, it seemed that Dylan hadn't forgotten about them. He glanced over his shoulder and whined. "Ugh. I should've gotten rid of you when I had the chance." He flicked his arm out and pointed to Leo. A funnel of air pushed him into the air and sent him flying over the bridge edge. "At least you won't be able to put gum in my hair again," Dylan said, peering over the edge as Leo screamed his way down the Grand Canyon.

Leo managed to twist in the air and slammed into the canyon wall. His fingers gripped a ledge nearly a hundred feet down. "Help!"

Coach Hedge made a bleating noise. He threw his club at Jason, kicked off his shoes, and dove in after Leo. He had hooves… _hooves!_ Piper felt faint.

"You're a faun," Jason said. He looked at Piper with a smile, as if proud that he could remember something. "He's a faun!"

"Uh huh," Is all Piper could manage to say before Dylan scowled at the remaining teens, and thunder clapped in her ears.

"Y'all are next," Dylan pointed a smoking finger at Jason's chest.

Jason threw the club. It looked pretty light, but the club sailed through the air and followed the winds until it bonked Dylan on the noggin. He crumpled from the hit, winds still howling.

Meanwhile, the mystery girl seemed to be a lot more preoccupied with the way Hedge darted down the cliff walls and towards her proclaimed dad. She mumbled something under her breath and pulled something out of her jacket pocket. Was that a _knife_?

Piper's fingers closed around the club that rolled next to her. She gripped it tightly and winced as Dylan slowly stood to his feet. Gold trickled from his forehead.

"Nice try, boy," Dylan glared at Jason. "But you'll have to do better-"

A demonlike scream came from the girl who sprinted across the bridge with her knife in hand. The bridge shook violently as the glass started to crack. Dylan dissolved into a wispy dark vapor, as the girl neared, sending lightning along the canyon.

"A _ventus_ ," Jason said. He watched Piper tremble as she held the club close to herself. "Are you alright?"

His voice shook her out of her trance. She stopped shaking and gave Jason a weak smile. "Just surprised."

Jason nodded, but he didn't feel the same way. Somehow, _someway_ , he knew this was inevitable. His nerves felt like they were attached to jumper cables- he's in his _element_. Excitement spread through him, a feeling that was both familiar and foreign.

The girl with the curly hair flew into the air following Dylan who swirled around above them. He laughed, the noise sounding painful. "I'm glad I waited, demigods. I've known about Piper and Leo for weeks, but my mistress warned me that third was coming. But a _fourth?_ I've hit the jackpot."

Two more mini tornadoes apparated next to Dylan, one on either side. The two _venti_ glared with lightning filled eyes. They howled and shrieked with agony.

Piper stayed low, face pale. Still, she gave Jason a determined look, and the club tightened in her hands. He understood: _Keep their attention, and I'll brain them from behind_.

Wow. She's great.

Jason sprung up, ready to attack, only to fly back with bursts of lightning hitting his chest. At the same moment, the girl jumps and slashes through Dylan. Dylan disappeared into black smoke and the girl rolls onto her knees.

Jason's clothes were smoking, and his left shoe had blasted off. Despite being hit with lightning, he felt fine. Better than fine!

Piper fought the best she could with the obnoxious club, but her weapon went through the two _venti_ like they were nothing. They cackled at her and shocked her with tiny zaps to the face. On the side of the bridge, Hedge had laid Leo on the ground. The girl kicked and sliced at Dylan until she was blown away by a gust of wind. Her body slammed into the ground and her knife clattered a few feet away. She didn't get back up.

Dylan laughed. He stuck out his fingers and lightning zapped the girl. Piper fell to her knees. Coach Hedge bleated. Leo shook violently as he crawled towards Piper.

"Stop," Jason croaked, catching the storm spirits' attentions. He rose unsteadily to his feet.

"How are you alive?" Dylan screamed at him. "That should've killed you!"

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a gold coin. He had pulled it out earlier, to which Leo had said, " _Dang, you've been holding out on us!"_. But know Jason knew it wasn't just a pretty metal. He flipped the coin in the air- almost like he had done it a million times- and caught it in his palm until he was suddenly holding a sword. The golden blade glinted and felt so _right_ in his hand.

Dylan snarled and looked at his two companions. "Well? Kill the boy!"

They charged at him, fingers crackling with lightning. Jason grinned.

* * *

Every bone in Leo's body felt like they had exploded. Slamming into the Grand Canyon was _not_ a smart idea, even if it saved his life. And after that, he had to be saved by _Coach Hedge?_ How embarrassing!

At least Piper was fighting. Not great, but that was expected. But at least she was _doing_ something. And Jason- Jason's _insane!_ His body moved like it was born and bred for this type of fighting. He expertly slashed and sliced with his sword (where did he get that?), until the two storm spirits dissolved into gold dust.

" _Impossible!"_ Dylan shrieked. "Who _are_ you, half-blood?" Rain began to pour at his yell, soaking the canyon.

Leo finally managed to crawl to Piper. She seemed relatively unhurt but her hair was burning. Leo quickly patted it out for her, but she barely noticed. She was instead staring at Jason with wide eyes. "How did he…"

"EAT THIS, SPIRITS!" Hedge bellowed and charged. He then paused and looked around, surprised that there was only Dylan left. He scowled at Jason. "Didn't you leave some for me? I like a challenge!"

"Yo, Coach Supergoat!" Leo yelled at him. "I just fell down the freaking Grand Canyon! Stop asking for challenges!"

Hedge galloped towards the two of them. Leo blinked at the hooves. He had _thought_ he had gone crazy when dangling off the cliff, but apparently, Hedge actually _was_ part goat. The coach crouches next to Piper and Leo.

"You two alright?" He said gruffly. He reached into his sweatpants pocket and pulled out a roll of gauze bandages. He tossed it at Piper and gestured to Leo's hands. They were bloody from his attempts at trying to hold on. "Make sure to stay hydrated!" He yelled and began to charge to where Dylan and Jason were fighting.

" _Stay hydrated_ ," Leo mocked, allowing Piper to wrap his hand. "We're in the freaking desert!"

"Do you know what's happening?" Piper asked, quickly unraveling the gauze. She looked like she knows what she's doing.

"No clue. Coach Hedge is a goat, and Jason is fighting an angry cloud." Leo was missing something. There's something very important that he's missing.

"Just a normal Tuesday at Wilderness," Piper said. She patted Leo's hands and picked up the club lying at her side. Her fingers were covered with blood, but they gripped the club so tightly that Leo was afraid it would crack.

"Don't tell me you're going over there." Leo gestured behind Piper.

Piper eyed the scene. A hole had opened up in the clouds- a swirling vortex of black and silver. Dylan laughed maniacally, as he thwarted the attacks given by Hedge and Jason. "I have to help."

"Of course you do," Leo said, watching Piper sprint towards them. She tackled Dylan from behind, causing them both to tumble to the ground. Leo jumped to his feet, adrenaline rushing at the sight of his hurt best friend. " _Piper!"_

Dylan screamed and waved her off, sending a giant wave of wind rippling through the air. Leo's head slammed into the wall of the glass bridge, and he groaned, curling up. Hedge and Jason skidded backward, looking unharmed. Piper, however, was tossed over the side of the bridge, and she held on to the side of the railing with one hand. With the rain, her fingers began to slide.

Dylan's dark form thundered. Leo could barely see but even he could sense the sinister presence nearing him. "I'll settle for this one!"

Leo felt himself lift off in the air. The storm spiraled him upwards, heading towards the ominous hole in the sky. In the corner of his eyes, he sees a dark blur stumble to its feet. Piper screamed for help in the far distance.

"My mistress will be disappointed that I didn't get all three of you," Dylan muttered to Leo. A soft wind brushed Leo's face, caressing him softly in the middle of the chaos. Leo whimpered, head swimming and vision flashing in and out. "A nasty concussion you've got. But my mistress will be pleased. She had taken a liking to you."

Piper's yelling turned to screams. Below, Hedge yelled. "Jason, go! Save her!"

 _Piper_ , Leo thought. He began to struggle against the winds. If she's hurt, he'll _kill_ Dylan. Stupid, untouchable tornado or not, Leo would find a way to kill him.

Suddenly, Dylan gasped in pain. Leo fell through the sky, only to be caught in someone's arms.

"Hi, daddy!" Big eyes smiled at him, gently dropping him to the floor. The girl's clothes were tattered, but she seemed happy. "Don't go to sleep, okay?"

Above them, Coach Hedge yelled as he viciously tried to fight back against the wind, sailing up into the clouds. A few moments later, Jason flew _over_ the bridge with Piper in his arms.

 _OhmyGod_. Leo blinked. His life is _insane_.

* * *

"Stupid… ugly… goat," Leo was mumbling to himself, "Crazy… stalker… girl."

"Where'd he go?" Piper asked, once her feet touched the ground. The past few minutes were a blur. One moment she was falling, then Jason swooped in to grab her like a superhero. She had always known Leo's nickname for Jason was _Superman_ but she never assumed him to actually _be_ the titular character.

Leo pointed wildly, his eyes dilated. "Up. Please tell me he didn't save my life."

Piper jumped when a voice speaks. She had forgotten about the girl in the chaos. Her rainsoaked jacket opens up to a dark purple shirt, looking nearly black from being drenched. She looked like a drenched cat- hair sticking to her face, and clothes being bigger than her frame. Piper probably didn't look much better.

"He did. Twice."

Leo groaned. "I'm dreaming. Are you a part of the dream? There's two of you. You look like me."

The girl pinched him. Leo weakly swatted her away and looked up where he must've thought Piper was. "Did Jason have a sword? Tell me he didn't have a sword."

"He did," Piper said. "And he flew."

" _Dios Mio,_ " Leo rubbed his head. A few feet away, Jason picked up his sword. He flipped it, and the sword disappeared.

"How'd you do that?" Piper asked. She stepped away when he came closer. "Jason… you acted like you saw those… _things_ before-"

" _Venti_ ," he corrected. "Storm spirits."

"Sure. Who _are_ you?" Piper then turned to the girl who looked patiently up at the sky. "And _you!_ Who are you?" She paid no mind to Piper.

Jason shook his head. His fingers ran over something in his hand- a golden coin. When catching Piper staring, he slipped the coin in his pocket. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't know." He looked towards the other girl, his eyes analyzing her purple shirt. "Hey-"

"I don't like you." The girl glared at Jason. She folded her arms, defiantly.

Piper gaped. She had appeared sweet, if not creepy at the beginning of the trip, but now it was as if the fight had made her cocky.

"What's your name?" Piper tried. Luckily, she happened to like Piper a bit _more_ than Jason. Not as much as she loved Leo but it was something.

"Espie," She said. Leo mutters the name, his face scrunching up in thought. She didn't seem to want to answer anything more after that, so Piper turned to the others.

"That thing Dylan turned into..." Piper shuddered. "God, I can't believe it was _hitting_ on me. He called us- what, _demigods?_ "

"I don't know what demi means, but I don't feel very godly." Leo brushed off some of the gold dust that had covered him. That's what the _venti_ had burst into- gold. Even Dylan had bled gold blood.

"Demigod means part god, part mortal," Espie announced. Her eyes slid over the three of them. "We're all demigods. Sort of." She didn't explain that part either.

Jason nodded. "I don't know why, but I think she's telling the truth."

"Okay… say we _are_." Leo mumbled. "Let's say Espie is right… what gods are we from?"

She held her finger to her lips- Piper recognized it to be the motion that she did earlier in the museum when Leo mentioned her dad. "Up," she whispered, but only Piper seemed to hear it.

However, maybe Leo _did_ hear her."Look up there and tell me if those are flying horses," Leo said, deliriously. Jason and Piper looked up. Piper had thought him to be crazy, but he was _right_. A pair of winged animals- _horses_ , actually pulled along a chariot.

"Extraction squad," Jason said. "Hedge mentioned it when we were fighting."

"Sounds painful," Leo stumbled to his feet. Espie and Piper catch him, hooking his arms over their shoulders. Piper grunted under his weight- it wasn't much but she was still exhausted from her own fight against the _venti_.

"And where are they extracting us _to_?" She said.

The chariot landed on the cliff, horses nervous about the breaking glass bridge. A tall girl hops off the chariot and ran towards Piper and her friends, knife pulled out. Back at the chariot, a built guy tried to control the horses. They both share the same blinding orange tee.

"Where is he?" The girl demanded, raising her knife to Jason's neck.

"Where's who?" Jason backed away. His hand was instinctually at his pocket again, and Piper feared he would pull his sword out. It was one thing to fight a monster, but to fight another teen? However, Piper had a feeling that this girl would be able to hold her own.

The blond girl turned to Piper and Leo. "What about Gleeson? Where is your protector?"

"He got taken by those tornado thingies," Leo said. The girl analyzed him, trying to see if he was lying.

" _Venti_ ," Jason provided. The girl's head spun to face him. "Uh. Storm spirits."

"You mean _anemoi thuellai_? That's the Greek term. Who are you, and what happened?"

As Jason tried to explain the best his amnesiac mind can, the burly teen came from the chariots. He offered to hold Leo. Piper was initially cautious, but at the sight of those muscles and the Rainbow tattoo residing on his biceps, she figured there was no harm. It was better than being crushed with arms like that.

He held Leo in a bridal's carry. Leo looked too out of it to be humiliated. The orange-clad teen gestured between the two girls. "Are you Piper, or is she?"

Piper raised her hand. "That's me. Are you the _extraction_ team?"

"Yes." The bald guy grunted. " And who are you?"

Espie didn't look inclined to speak. If anything, she shrunk back to her shyer self and stepped behind Piper.

"She's a friend- one of those demigods," Piper said. "She saved Leo's life."

Espie gave her a smile. It wasn't necessary. Piper owed her that much. She had seen the girl fight against Dylan and she seemed genuinely concerned with their well-being (or at least Leo's. Piper didn't understand the hate towards Jason). Piper nodded at her.

"Annabeth," the guy said to the blonde. "We gotta leave- the bridge is about to shatter. We can figure everything out at camp."

 _Camp?_

* * *

anyway, the hardest part of this was literally figuring out the name of Espie. i guess my question for the chapter is to ask: **do you think demigods would name their kids after their mortal parents or dead friends?**

i see a lot of fics with percabeth's kids being silena or charlie depending on the gender, or maybe even nico's kid being bianca... it's not fairly uncommon to see frank or hazel's kids being named emily or sammy either, respectively. anyway. just a thought. how do you guys feel about it?

i personally feel like something like charlie/silena is a bit of a stretch for percabeth, but i can see silena going for maybe piper's kid. i don't think sammy would be good for hazel's kid either, especially when she knows how leo feels about the comparison... seems a little unfair. (it's even worse if you make is a frazel fic, because we all know how jealous frank was over sammy/leo). i guess nico would name his bianca? but like? i guess.


	2. A Day At Camp!

**i skipped around a lot because i got bored**

 **the original quest lasts 3-4 days, but i stretched it out to a week... so it's like dec 14ish.**

 **i think i'm able to reach a point where i won't have to rely so heavily on rick's writing, now that i've got most of the foundation down :)**

* * *

 **A Night At Camp!**

Butch, as the bald guy was named, gave Leo something that looked like a candy bar. He had hummed in content and said something about _churros_. Espie found that interesting and snuck a piece away. She muttered about grapes.

Piper bit into some and licked her lips after gobbling the entire square. She asked for more but the blonde girl, Annabeth as Jason learned, denied her.

At first, Butch had offered Jason some. He refused, partially concerned about being potentially poisoned. That Annabeth girl did not seem to like him at all. But after he began to feel his pain seep in, and seeing the newly energized looks of his friends, he tried a piece.

He tasted grapes as Espie had. But he didn't say anything but a quick _thanks_.

Jason looked out over the chariot. He didn't mind the great height they were at, though both Piper and Leo looked less inclined. Personally, the feel of the air hitting his skin made Jason feel _alive_.

The chariot took them over lakes and mountains, all flashing by in a wave of colors. Camp Half-Blood, was where Annabeth said they were going. The _only_ safe place for kids like them, is what she explained.

For demigods. That's what they were. Annabeth's mom was Athena (Minerva, Jason's mind corrected). Something about that felt _wrong_. When he thought of Minerva, he thought wisdom, battle, _virgin_.

Butch's mom was Iris. Leo was a few seconds from getting pummeled when he brought up the rainbow goddess, and how Butch didn't seem like a rainbow-pony kind of guy.

Suddenly, lightning hit the chariot. "Left wheel's on fire!"

The pegasi neighed and raced through the air. Jason watched as the clouds swirled around them, growing darker and flicking with lightning. The hum of an upcoming storm made the hair of Jason's arms stand.

As the chariot sped faster, it was like they ran through a _wall_. The storm clouds following them stop suddenly, as if stopped by an invisible barrier. The landscape changed to a valley, filled with Greekian architecture and snowy hills.

"The lake! Aim for the lake!" Jason heard until he's suddenly submerged underwater.

It was cold, freezing his body in unpleasant ways. Jason sunk lower, his senses abruptly gone and feeling numb. Then he felt prodding against his body. Insistent hands pulled him in every which way until he gasped for air as he broke the surface.

He was pulled to the shore and surrounded by warm blankets and nosy questions. Through the confusion, Jason let out a sigh of relief when he saw Leo being pulled out the water. A second later, and Piper was fine as well.

There were so many orange shirts, the bright color bled into Jason's vision like a bad omen. A giant bronze leaf blower blew Jason dry in seconds. It was like the camp was used to demigods crashing into lakes- what kind of camp _was_ this?

Some blond guy was talking to Annabeth. "-Way older than thirteen. Why haven't they been claimed already?"

"Claimed?" Leo asked. Espie, who Jason nearly forgot about, whispered in Leo's ear. He looked even more confused when she was done speaking to him. Jason stepped forward. He wanted to know too.

"Well, I hope they're worth the trouble." A girl said. She ogled Jason but sneered at Piper. Her orange shirt had been tucked into high-waisted jeans, and her arms shook with loud multi-colored bangles.

"Gee, thanks. What are we, your new pets?" Leo snorted.

"No kidding," Jason said. "How about some answers?"

"Jason," Annabeth sighed. She looked tired now- less angry about Jason _not_ knowing where her boyfriend was. Percy Johnson, if he remembered correctly. How long had she been looking for him? "We'll answer your questions. And Drew, _all_ demigods are worth saving."

She turned to direct the rest of the demigods milling around with orange shirts- demigods, Jason supposed. She mentioned something about assigning them guides and hoping them to be claimed.

"Would someone tell me what _claimed_ means?" Piper interrupted. Espie bit her lip, as a gasp spread throughout the campers. They all stared at Leo who stared back, confused.

Over his head, a holographic fiery hammer shimmered. Leo swatted at his head, but the image refused to waver. "Is my hair on fire?"

"Dad," Espie tugged on Leo's arm. "Calm down. You're fine." She gave him a look and Leo swallowed.

"This can't be good," Butch said. "The curse-"

"Hush," Annabeth hand slapped Butch's chest to keep him from speaking. "Leo you've just been claimed by-"

"Vulcan." All eyes turned to him. Annabeth's gray eyes narrowed. It was if the entire camp was silenced- no, the entire _world_.

"How," Annabeth asked slowly. Her hand fell to her hip, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there, "did you know that, Jason?"

"I'm not sure," Jason whispered. The campers began to murmur amongst each other, and Annabeth regarded him coldly. In the corner of his eye, Espie raised her finger to her lip. _Sh_ , she was saying to him, but as to why, Jason had no clue.

"Vulcan?" Leo cut the silence, oblivious to it all. "I don't even LIKE _Star Trek_. Now, _Star Wars_ is something I can get behind."

Piper rolled her eyes but cracked a smile. Jason sighed in relief. As long as those two didn't realize his big mistake- what was wrong with what he said?- then he was fine.

* * *

Leo quickly found out that the camp was just as weird as he was. His guide, Will, seemed very familiar with Camp Half-Blood though. How long has he been going here?

Will gave Espie weird looks. "That's a cool shirt. What does it mean?" He pointed to the purple shirt on Espie's body. _SPQR_ read the black lettering.

She frowned and zipped her jacket up. "It's a band." She said. Her eyes darted to the ground, and that was that.

When they reached the Hephaestus cabin, Leo wasn't sure what to make of it. There was a major steampunk theme going on, and smoke blew from the pistons sticking from the sides. Espie sighed in relief as she sighted the cabin.

"This is your stop, Leo," Will said. He thumbed towards the line of other cabins. "The Hermes cabin is that way for unclaimed campers-"

"I'm claimed," Espie quickly shot him down. Will shifted, uncertain. "Hephaestus cabin too."

"Uh-"

"Oh _yeah_ ," Leo lied. He grinned brightly at the blond. "It happened on the chariot- this whole big thing, it's such a long story. You'd get bored."

Will looked hurt at the mention of the borrowed and ruined chariot. He didn't push the issue though. As he turned to knock, Leo glanced at Espie. She owes him _big_ time. Though, if what she said was true about being his kid…

Leo let out a low whistle as the door pushed open. Inside, was Leo's paradise. If only Wilderness looked so comfortable, maybe he wouldn't have hated the school so much.

His mom would've loved this place. All the scrap metal and the steaming engines. The buckets of screws and the piles of 2 by 4's sitting next to sheets of bronze. Even the sleek electronics and broad firepole (coming from a nonexistent second floor) would've been raved over by his mama. Leo swallowed. He really shouldn't think about things like that.

He instead, watched Espie turn over every little thing with a curious gaze. She seemed as in love with the area as Leo was. Something about that made Leo feel warm inside.

"A weed whacker?" Espie grumbled as she inspected a long machine. "A _weed_ whacker."

"You'd be surprised at what it can do." A voice echoed from a dark corner. The sounds of wheels grinding filled the room, as a camouflage material retracted, revealing a heavily bandaged boy lying on a bunk.

"I'm Jake Mason. I'd shake your hand, but…"

"Yeah," Leo said. "Don't get up."

Jake tried to smile but it looked painful. "Welcome to Cabin Nine. Been almost a year since we had any new kids. I'm head counselor for now."

"For now?"

Will cleared his throat. "So where is everybody?"

"Down at the forges," Jake said. Leo's ears perked at that. There are _forges_ here? If this came with the perks of being a demigod, he would gladly take them. "They're working on… you know, that problem."

"Oh… so you've got a spare bed for Leo? And, uh…"

"Espie," Leo said for her.

"Yeah." Will nodded. "Leo and Espie."

"Maybe," Jake said, looking at them both. "Do either of you believe in curses?"

* * *

His cabinmates were scary but nice. They all looked like they could beat him up, but also looked like they wouldn't want to. Which was totally fine by Leo.

Those buff genes were skipping out on him, though.

After _somehow_ volunteering himself for a _prophecy_ , he pulled Espie with him into the woods. He might be going crazy.

Okay. Quick mental rundown before his brain shortcircuits:

He saw Tia Callida. His crazy babysitter was _here_ but no one else saw her. And then his babysitter was _Hera_? Who was _kidnapped_ and in a _cage_? There was a lot to dissect here, so Leo pushed it to the back of his mind.

There's some dragon running around the camp. His cabin thinks they're cursed. Great, totally great.

He just volunteered for some crazy mission to get some crazy goddess. He only did it because Espie kept nudging him until he spoke up. Which brought him to his other problem…

"Explain yourself," Leo said once the two of them reached a clearing. It was dark, but his eyes adjusted enough for Leo to have an idea of where Espie was. "You've got 5 seconds, _chica_ , so go."

Espie grabbed Leo's arm. "Not here, okay? Can I take you somewhere?"

"Are you going to kill me?"

"No."

"Then let's go." They sprint through the woods in the night. Leo felt like he was being watched- and maybe he _was_. He swore he heard a low rumble and heard steam blow. He felt like he was being hunted, as he stumbled across branches and tripped over rocks. Like something was just beyond the trees and was waiting for him. It motivated him to run faster, at least.

"Here," Espie brought them to a cliff. The solid rock stretched high. "Put your hand on it."

"What, no." Leo jerked away. "You're so weird."

"Ugh, _Leo_ _!_ " Espie snatched his hand and pressed it against the rock. Fire spread from his fingertips and burned into the rock. It created intricate lines, until they all crossed over together, lining out a solid limestone door nearly five times as big as the two demigods.

Leo pulled his fingers away. "Holy shit."

Espie pushed him inside. The moment Leo's foot touched the inside room, torches lit up along the walls, and the door slide close. Espie breathed in relief, rubbing her face. She pulled a scrunchie from her wrist and tied her hair up.

Without her hair in her face, the girl looked _a_ _lot_ like Leo. He stepped back. "Whoa."

"Come here," Espie unzipped her jacket and tied it around her waist. She rummaged through the many shelves of the bunker.

Leo grew bored and walked around. The cave was _huge_. Rows of garage-sized doors and shelves were spread against the walls. Equipment was scattered everywhere, along with weapons and a giant platform in the middle. Leo could easily fit an airplane here- no, two or _three_.

A tattered banner hung above the platform. BUNKER 9. It was in Greek. Since when could Leo read Greek?

There was dust everywhere. Did his cabin even know this place existed? The place was littered with projects, most of which were abandoned and unfinished. A giant map was spread against one of the walls, detailing millions of tunnels and buildings in the camp. Some were marked with colors or noted, but most of the camp had been left in the dark. Who _was_ here?

One of the bulletin boards had a blueprint that attracted Leo's eyes. He… he _knew_ that ship. He had seen it when he was five- drew the _same exact ship_ when he was five. The sketch of the masthead glared down on him. A giant dragon's head. He wondered if maybe-

"What are you looking at?" Leo jumped at Espie's voice. In her hands, was a simple golden watch.

"Nothing." Leo turned away from the blueprint. Something _really_ creepy was going on here. "What's that?"

Espie raised an eyebrow but followed the conversation change. "It's my ticket home." She dangled the watch in front of Leo's eyes. It glinted in the light, the brilliant gold shimmering beautifully. Leo took it and examined it with probing eyes.

Leo picked up one of the nearby screwdrivers and unscrewed the back. He was disappointed. "It's just a normal watch." He said, poking at the gears and wheels.

"For now," Espie raised her wrist. There, a clone of the gold watch sat. The only difference being more rings circling the watch's face. "It made me time travel here."

"Okay…" Leo said. "Then go back."

"I _can't_ ," Espie groaned. She flicked the watch's face. "It's a piece of junk now. And you _Dad-proofed_ it."

"I did _what_?"

"Dad-proofed it."

"I heard you the first time," Leo rolled his eyes. He tugged on Espie's wrist. "Explain what it means."

"I did some… _things_ , and now you won't let me mess with your inventions anymore." Espie made a face. "I _told_ you it was an accident…"

"What'd you do?" Leo wasn't really listening, spending more time focusing on the watch. It didn't look that special. He compared it with the watch in his hand. They both looked fairly normal.

Espie pulled her hand away, pressing it to her lips. Leo's seen her do it before, hadn't he? "Can't say. Spoilers."

"Well according to you I'm your _dad_ , so you can tell me anything," Leo said.

" _Spoilers_ ," Espie said. She sat down on the floor and patted the ground next to her. "I trust you. All you have to do is fix this watch-" She pointed to the one in Leo's hand, "-and make it like _mine_." She raised her wrist.

Leo folded his hands in his lap. His fingers twitched with anticipation for getting to work and getting down and dirty, but he can't let the girl know that. What if she's lying?

"How do I know you're _really_ from the future? How do I know you're my kid?"

Espie shrugged. "I know you have fire powers."

Leo's blood ran cold. The only ones who knew that besides himself was Tia Callida (Hera) and his mama. He licked his lips. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hm," Espie thought it over. "You ran from your second foster home because the bed caught on fire, but it was really because you had a nightmare."

Anyone who read his file could know that. If asked, his social worker was required to mention the incident to any foster parents looking to foster him. "So what? Show me _your_ powers then. Put your hair on fire or something."

"I can't," Espie said. She looked uncomfortable and her fists balled up in her lap. "It's really hard for me. But I'm fireproof if you want to burn me, I suppose."

"Uh-" Leo was _so_ not going to just burn some kid. "-I like my meat well done and human flesh free. There's still no proof-"

"Dad, stop!" Espie pleaded with him. "You named me _Ezperanza_ after _abuela_!"

Oh.

Leo swallowed. Yeah. He had thought as much.

* * *

When she returned back from the campfire, Piper locked herself in the bathroom. For once she found herself lucky to be her mom's child- the Aphrodite cabin was probably the only cabin vain enough to have their own bathroom rather than using the communal ones.

She didn't fit in with her siblings. She had hoped that maybe there was _someone_ who was like her- someone who felt misplaced. It was a fluke, somehow. Her name got caught up in Olympus, and Aphrodite accidentally claimed her.

Yet when Piper looked at the mirror, the makeup looked even more prominent against her skin, confirming her fears. Piper turned the water and tried her best to scrub it away. It reapplied itself with just as many layers as before.

At least when she cried, her eyes didn't grow puffy.

There was a knock on the door and someone yelled at her to get out so he could wash his face. Piper refused to move. She couldn't let anyone see her like this- outside she was a Barbie but inside she was an utter mess.

After her transformation, she had turned to look for support from Leo and Jason. Leo had disappeared, dragging Espie along, who only raised an eyebrow at her. Jason's jaw had dropped and he felt speechless. He did nothing to help her when she so desperately needed it, only coming to her _after_ the damage had been done.

Piper gritted her teeth. Her problems were so small in comparison to the others. Jason lost his memory- all 15 years of his life, and Piper was crying because her hair was perfect? Leo had a _daughter_ following him around, and she was upset because her acne cleared?

Another knock rapped against the door. There was a soft whisper, something Piper couldn't hear. When she opened the door, all the demigods in the flowery cabin minded their business. Drew sneered at her but was more preoccupied with fixing her nightgown.

At the door, sat a pair of neatly folded pajamas. As Piper bent to pick them up, she felt all eyes on her, as the cabin grew silent. When she stood up, the noise continued. Piper began to feel claustrophobic and closed the bathroom door again.

She sat on the fluffy toilet cover. The pajamas were in her size but were a light pink frilly mess covered in hearts and glitter. They smelled like apples and cinnamon, mixing weirdly with the perfume of the bathroom. The fuzzy socks, at least, were a simple dark purple.

Piper slipped those on but not the other clothes. She was already humiliated when being claimed, but she didn't need to be embarrassed more with ridiculous clothes.

Piper pushed open the door. A bunk had been cleared for Piper, void of any decorations besides a crisp white bedsheet and a folded stack of quilts and blankets, colored pastel blue and smelling faintly of vanilla. Piper looked around, but no one was willing to meet her eyes. In the corner, a group of girls began to giggle.

Piper slunk into her bunk and pulled the quilt over herself. She turned to face the wall, not able to fall asleep. It was only when the cabin quieted down and the lights flickered off when Piper was able to turn back.

The moon shined through the windows of the cabin, lighting up the walkway like it was a magical path. One of the Aphrodite kids snored loudly, breaking the silence. Piper sat up and stared at the bunk across hers.

A girl slept peacefully, curled up around a giant teddy bear. Her hair was braided up neatly, and her face was covered with a dark face mask. The child's bunk space was covered with magazine covers and makeup tips, along with a few personal pictures of her family. Under her bed, a hair straightener peeked out next to a curiously small instrument case.

She couldn't have been more than eleven and _she_ fit in more than Piper. What did that say about Piper?

Even at a camp, where people were supposed to understand her, Piper was completely alone.

* * *

The dragon was new. It barfed oil over Leo's head, but Leo looked fine so Jason didn't bother intervening.

Leo, it seemed, had taken to the whole "Espie is my kid" situation quite easily. Jason didn't know the whole story but he was going to trust his friend. Besides… it would be the perfect _I told you so_ moment in the future when it blows up in his face.

"I told you!" Leo chided, wagging a finger at Espie. "You'll be safe here! You can't just jump into danger like that!"

Espie didn't look ready to give up so quickly. "But _Leo!_ " The two began to bicker, with Leo easily slipping into a mother hen role.

Piper looked distressed, as she stood next to the dragon. Her arms wrapped around herself, as she sipped from a Thermos. It smelled delicious.

"You okay?" Jason asked, standing next to her. Piper's face was still filled with makeup and her hair was still curled into beautiful loops across her shoulders. However, she ditched the dress for a more comfortable winter coat, jeans, and hiking boots. Jason liked this part of Piper too.

"Fine," Piper said. "Just tired. You want some?"

Jason drank from the offered Thermos and was pleasantly surprised by the burst of chocolate. He reluctantly handed it back. "It's good."

"Yeah. Someone from the Aphrodite cabin grabbed it when Drew wasn't looking."

"You mean your cabin?"

"Sure." Piper screwed the cap back on. "Jason, you know a lot about demigods, right? Do you know anything about _charmspeak_?"

Jason shrugged. "Never heard of it." Also, he _didn't_ know a lot about demigods. Things just _came_ to him.

"Oh, okay. Just wondering." Piper stepped along the dragon's metallic body. She hopped up until she was sitting snugly in one of the seats Leo had created for them. "It's this thing in the Aphrodite cabin-"

"GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Leo snapped at the girl.

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME TO DO THAT!" Espie yelled back, just as loud. She stormed off and away from the dragon, ignoring the eyes that followed her.

Leo mumbled something under his breath and folded his arms. When catching Jason staring, Leo shook his head at him, with a nervous grin. He began to climb up on top of the dragon, still dripping with oil."Kids these days, am I right?"

Jason raised his arms up in surrender. "Hey, don't bring me into this. This has nothing to do with me."

The dragon let out a loud clinking noise and smoke filtered through its nose. The campers surrounding them all tensed, except for Annabeth who remained calm. She gazed up at the sky, staring wistfully at the smoke.

"Go," she said. "There's only a week until the solstice."

The dragon clicked at Leo, who nodded and rubbed its head. "You got it, Fes. Jason, get up here so we can get this party going!"

"Fes?" Jason questioned.

"Festus, actually. He's totally cool, you'd like him."

"Festus. As in _happy._ We're riding _Happy the Dragon_."

"Got any better plans?" Leo looked back at him. Festus clicked again in response. "Oh, he didn't mean it, Fes. Jason's gonna be nice to you." Leo leaned in and whispered loudly enough for Jason to hear. " _Oh_ , it's _totally_ okay to _accidentally_ drop him. We won't say a word."

"Leo." Jason snorted. "Let's go."

Leo pressed his hand against the crook of Festus' neck. The panel slid up, revealing a set of controls and blinking lights. "Please put on your seatbelts, and wait until the aircraft is in autopilot to take them off. Absolutely no smoking allowed. In case of an emergency, there should be an emergency life raft in the seat in front of you."

"Hey Piper," Jason wrapped his arms around the girl, awaiting liftoff. "What were we talking about?"

Piper glanced over her shoulder. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it, Jay. I'm a lot more worried about us blowing uPPPP!"

They blast off through the air with a mighty stroke of Festus' powerful wings. Soaring through the air, Jason nearly laughed as he felt at home. He lifted his arms in the air and his heart dropped in his chest, feeling like he was going to fall off. This was _amazing!_

Did his sister get the same way? Jason pulled out the crumpled photo of the girl. Thalia… did she understand him like this? Did she love the skies as much as he did?

He sighed happily, squeezing his arms around Piper to keep steady. Though he really didn't need to- Leo was impressive, and he fixed Festus up with heated seats and careful safety precautions. And he had the added bonus of being able to fly.

The thought of flying made Jason smile. At camp, when he had been claimed by Zeus (which had felt so very wrong, but so very right), Jason had been irritated. People had respected him not because of who _he_ was, but because of who his _dad_ was.

Festus leveled out, and the group started to cruise with the wind. Leo had a satisfied grin on as he turned back to Piper and Jason.

"Hello, this is your captain speaking. We're on autopilot, boys and girls, but the seatbelt sign is still in place. Please, enjoy your refreshments and we will have a nice flight." He winked at them. Piper giggled and looked back at Jason.

"Do you know where we're going?" Jason shouted back to Leo.

"No clue!"

"Quebec. We have to find the North Wind."

" _Canada_?"

"Yeah!"

" _Aw_. I hate the cold." Leo rubbed Festus' neck and the giant beast swiftly made a U-turn. "This is my worst quest yet."

"You've never been on a quest before," Piper reminded him.

" _Yeah_ , but this one sucks already!"

Jason sat back, not really listening to their conversation. He glanced back at the picture in his hand. Thalia, Thalia, Thalia. His _sister._

He knew he had a family somewhere (and the thought makes his tattoo burn), but now he had a name _and_ a face. She was with the Hunters, according to Annabeth, and she was safe there, but she seemed so far away. Will he ever meet her? Can she help with his memory loss?

… It didn't matter. Jason was fine because he now knew that there was _someone_ out there that understood him. Was she looking for him too? He couldn't wait to meet her. Maybe his mind would click and everything would be alright.

He slid the photo into his pocket. _Thalia Grace_ , his mind repeated over and over again. _Thalia Grace, Thalia Grace, Thalia Grace._

He's _Jason Grace_. Jason... Grace. JASON GRACE. Jason's heart leaped at the thought, as another piece of his mental puzzle slid firmly into place. He didn't understand a whole lot, but at least he knew he had a family.

"- I TOLD YOU TO GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Leo was shrieking downward, as Piper was struggling to contain her laughter. Jason peered over the side and blinked.

Attached to Festus, was a small side-car, that folded out of the dragon's side. Inside, sat Espie wearing a flapping jacket and one of the orange camp shirts. She stuck her tongue out at Leo, who aggressively stuck his own out.

"Crazy!" Piper exclaimed. "This entire quest is crazy!"

Jason couldn't help but to agree.

* * *

okay, so literally, piper was so unfair to the aphrodite cabin? i didn't really notice it before, but since i actually had to analyze what everyone was saying (in order to, uh, make it better) piper was so mean to aphrodite cabin because of her own prejudices? she literally just saw drew, labeled her as a mean girl, and then labeled the rest of her cabin as snotty and love/clothes-obsessed. (what's really funny is that she believes all this but every 5 secs thinks about how cute jason is alkbsaudbsdfkjb (but to be fair, leo is literally the same way)

anyway, i guess my question for this chapter is: **what is your opinion of all this?**

honestly, i'm just super put off about how piper is so quick to label them and make her judgments... she was only there for like a few hours, and she would hate it if people did the same to her. i think, while it's good to have piper as someone saying "oh, aphrodite isn't all this junk", it's also good to say "yeah i'm a kid of aphrodite who likes gossip and crushes and makeup" without putting them down the way piper does.


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